Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-01-20
The DEATH OF BOOTH.
A GRAPHIC ACCOUNT AS GIVEN
IN "6ATH'S" NEW NOVEL.
ns Assassin's Last Plea for y Fighting
Chance-The Barn on Fire-A Face
that Seemed Battle Ground OF
Wounds and Spasms.

that Seemed . Battle Ground OF
wounds and Spasms.
At the suggestion Of John Brown his
wandering powers took conference and
example, and he remembered the man.
nerism in which old Brown had met his
fate, and Booth tried to be his pupil.
Captain said Booth, assuming a hol-
low, theatrical voice, '.give me a living
chance: withdraw your men a hundred
PAGES from the barn and I'll come out
and fight you!"
This had been John Browns request
when entrapped in his engine house, and
Booth aspired 10 die like Brown.
He repeated the request, and thought
&c quite unmerciful that he wa not ac-
corded n little stage space To die effective
iy in.
swell waste no more time. " the civil
officer without spoke, in tone Of disgust.
The katydid or cricket never ceased TO
callits resounding beads, and pray, pray,
pray"
Booth searched the heavens aud the
world for some intercessor, and fetched
from weakness his mothers name, BY
that saint he asked for fifty yards and for
little more time.
Everything was refused.
snow, then, my brave boys" he de-
claimed, in the tones of the stage again,
''prepare a stretcher for me!'
"Stretchers" were the canvas biers TO
carry out Of battle wounded men. Booth
assuming 10 the ~end-would appear to
be a veteran entitled to the honors of war.
He raised his carbine, feebly resolving
70 kill some one or 10 fire il of at least,
and as he stepped. on foot and crutch,
toward the center Of the barn, 10 be
farthest from mems aiming. a friction
match was scratch ID behind him. as IL his
broken bones had rasped each other, and
vent a cold chill up his spine.
He turned and saw the barn on fire!
A lighted whisp OF straw, twisted by
some one without, had fallen into the
loose hay, and some brush piled against
the outside of the harm was also afire.
The warm flame for a single instant car
ried the odor and crackle of his fathers
log cabin 10 his heart, and he shouted as
his Crutch fell from under his arm and
left him helpless:
captain, do it quickl Now shoot me
through the hearth
The cricket ceased TO sing, though
everything beside came forth in the
bright light, ill what had been the throne
of a gloon stood revealed in the blessed
implements and yield of husbandry. and
there were wasps flying around their nests
in the roof, seeming flame, and in the lit
ter of the floor ran rats In single file, all
slyly, as from a sinking ship, and one
squealed as IL crossed his shadow like an
old witch in an incarnation scene.
The pillow and the harrow teeth took a
rudy CLEAN: some swallows in the tim
bers few round and round, blinded by
the fire, and the pegs for tobacco and the
burning tobacco leaves grew to be ferns
and s~callops Of gold as they hung, like
gilded scenes in ~spectacles, around the
desperate man.
He had seen fires upon the stage and
helped 10 stamp them out, and he limped
toward the greater flame near a corner;
but suddenly q great tongue of fire licked
him and singed him a IL Cerberus at
hell's door had fondled on him with a fur
mace tonguel
Fear seized him and he ran toward the
door on misfitting bones-the door held
open as by some invisible angel-and as
he ran the ponderous beams and trees in
the structure seemed 10 fall upon his
skull and smash IL like an egg.
Booth next felt water in his face, and
: two men were holding him up and search
ing his body and putting their fingers in
his brain.
Ats here" said one, fright where he
shot the president. behind the ear and on
the same side, and here il comes through
In gagging tormonts he discerned be-
fore him two men in Confederate dress,
all shown by the light OF the burning
barn. which was reflected in the home
stead porch he lay upon.
Observation-Disclosures sighed Booth.
pointing 10 n Of these. the officer who
had brought him to the house.
He did not hear the answer. but he
made il himself;
'Tell-mUther-I thought did-best
-rights-a country-till-I died. Kill
me! Kill me''
Herold. tied TO the tree in the little fat
lawn. saw them turn Booth to make him
comfortable and heard him gasp and
groan, aud Herold shed the only tears.
Booth could not swallow and his words
were measured like dew in the honey
suckle : cup that dropped above his eyes
and opened 10 the IRE,
lie saw them, in his paralysis, hold up
the arsenal of things he had carried so
Tonga great, fierce knife, with rust Of
blood upon 1t; two pistols with revolving
cylinders thick rs his rivcn ankle and
loaded Ia every chamber: n seven shotted
carbine; a candle spotted pocket compass:
his diary full Of ~protestations and despair,
and holding Light Prisons name his
pipe and scarf pin and the likenesses Of
ladies; and a little Catholic medal. He
sighed:
''Tongue!''
The detective opened his mouth and
said.
Booth, no blood Is on your tongue"
He started at his name, which seemed
acentury since IL had been mentioned,
and gaspedi
Hands,
The officer raised his hand and moist
ened il with a piece of ice, and lifted IL all
limp TO Booths face. IL fell uncontrol-
able like his broken foot.
He feebly moved his eyeballs through
an arc which sweptall nature and exhaled
the closing words;
"Uselass-'lessr'
His face now expressed the unseen
agony for which there was no word. and
the cherished pride Of strength pushed
Death away that mercifully drew near
again and again, but ever was repealed by
the flushing rose and pulse Of life, till
that the countenance Of the actor and
athlete seemed a battle ground Of wounds
and spasms, growing follower with each
contention and ready at the cocks crow,
like the wandering ghost, 10 fade into the